


dawn & dusk

by pog_wizard (doubleDerivative)



Series: seven birds [2]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enderman Hybrid Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Fluff, Foster Care, Found Family, Gen, Goat Hybrid Toby Smith | Tubbo, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mental Health Issues, Not RPF, Phil Watson-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Piglin Hybrid Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Queer Character(s), Sheep Hybrid Jschlatt (Video Blogging RPF), Various Hybrid OCs, Winged Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:54:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29519760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doubleDerivative/pseuds/pog_wizard
Summary: ""Stressed, old man?" the ram hybrid jokes, looking up from his own textbook. Phil rolls his eyes at the comment, simply getting up to stretch. His shoulders give a satisfying series of pops, and Schlatt grimaces. "Jeez, how long have you been sitting there?"Phil glances at the clock, mentally tallying."Seven hours, I think?""Seven hours?" Schlatt exclaims incredulously, slamming his own book shut. He stands and hooks an arm around Phil's shoulders, mindful of his wings, and starts ushering him toward the door."Didn't you just get back?" Phil questions, not bothering to struggle."Yeah, but I don't want your geriatric ass to crumple to dust while I'm in the room. Let's go loosen up a little!" Schlatt grins, lightly knocking his horns into the side of Phil's head. Phil rolls his eyes, but goes along with the other man without resistance, per routine."Phil reflects on his family; losing, gaining, learning to love and let go. He's so proud.
Relationships: Jschlatt & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), No Romantic Relationship(s)
Series: seven birds [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2168448
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	dawn & dusk

**Author's Note:**

> work title and chapter titles are from [_dawn & dusk_ by mxmtoon](https://open.spotify.com/album/6DfqH0KkW6UB7TnxmwduKq?si=B8eFUpAzT56g7xuo7o6kaw)!
> 
> i just finished the "og" of this series, which focuses more on Ranboo, [i saw seven birds](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29183367/chapters/71649801)! you should check it out if you like my writing!

Phil runs a hand through his hair, trying to steady his nerves and actually focus on the task at hand. Finals were always stressful, but he was in the homestretch now. Not passing meant not graduating meant going back for another year and losing his chances at his PhD. It was irrational, he knew, but it didn't stop him from over-preparing. He exhales roughly, closing the worn textbook propped in front of him and catching the attention of his roommate.

"Stressed, old man?" the ram hybrid jokes, looking up from his own textbook. Phil rolls his eyes at the comment, simply getting up to stretch. His shoulders give a satisfying series of pops, and Schlatt grimaces. "Jeez, how long have you been sitting there?"

Phil glances at the clock, mentally tallying.

"Seven hours, I think?"

"Seven hours?" Schlatt exclaims incredulously, slamming his own book shut. He stands and hooks an arm around Phil's shoulders, mindful of his wings, and starts ushering him toward the door.

"Didn't you just get back?" Phil questions, not bothering to struggle.

"Yeah, but I don't want your geriatric ass to crumple to dust while I'm in the room. Let's go loosen up a little!" Schlatt grins, lightly knocking his horns into the side of Phil's head. Phil rolls his eyes, but goes along with the other man without resistance, per routine.

They end up sprawled indelicately on opposite sides of a bar booth, a few beers deep. The setting sun casts the familiar place molten-iron orange, scattered groups of raucous laughter filling the near empty space.

"My dissertation's tomorrow, mate, I'm not trying to get smashed," Phil says when Schlatt offers another round. The ram hybrid shrugs, shoulders knocking carelessly into his horns.

Their chatter joins in with the rest of the bar eventually, becoming almost background noise. Phil sits, content and warm, and his mind begins to drift.

He knows, for his plans to work, he'll have to stop drinking once he leaves campus. He's certain he'll miss the companionship more than the booze itself, but the thought still makes him upset. Going out Saturday nights with Schlatt had become near tradition, Phil promising to pay every time Schlatt went the week without missing a class. The man wasn't much younger than him, but he couldn't help the budding feelings of paternal protection that wanted him to push his friend to succeed. Schlatt had been doing a lot better than he had been when they'd first been assigned roommates at the beginning of the semester, and the pride that bloomed forth in Phil's chest warmed him more than alcohol ever could.

The aforementioned man suddenly sobering pulls him from his thoughts, shooting the hybrid an odd look.

"So, uh, I might need your advice on something," he starts, tone unsure. Phil nods, absently wondering if that's really why Schlatt brought him out.

"I think I might've got my girl pregnant," he admits, trying to look relaxed despite the tension in his shoulders. Phil gapes for a moment, having to consciously snap his jaw shut.

"Shit, mate," he breathes. Schlatt gives a stressed chuckle.

"Yeah, ' _ shit, mate' _ , indeed," he mocks the accent, studying his hands.

"If you— if I can help at all– well, it's kind of my thing, isn't it?" Phil grins, reaching a comforting hand across the table. Schlatt takes it out of habit, absently playing with Phil's fingers and drawing phallic symbols in his palm.

"I'm more– I think I'm more concerned for her, y'know?" Schlatt gestures with a free hand helplessly. Phil nods, despite not knowing. Schlatt exhales, putting on a genuine grin. "Thanks, man."

"Of course, mate, you  _ are _ my friend," Phil shrugs, and Schlatt gives his hand a squeeze before setting it back on the table. He sniffs, glancing out the window, and Phil joins him after his expression turns.

The moon hangs just below the top of the window, street lamps casting the sidewalks in candlelight. Stars outline the tall campus towers, distant windows twinkling just the same. Phil yawns, turning back to Schlatt.

"It's late," he observes helpfully as Schlatt knocks back another shot. The man is quiet for a bit.

"Yeah, don't want you to stay up too much past 6 pm, right, oldie?" Schlatt attempts to joke through his slurring, shaking off the sobering admission of earlier to let the booze actually settle in his mind. Phil chuckles, hooking an arm under Schlatt and dragging him out of the booth. 

His brow furrows as he realizes how light his friend is, despite how heavily he's leaning on him. He decides to save that conversation for a (mostly) sober Schlatt.

They get back to the dorm, Schlatt immediately collapsing onto his own bed, wiggling into the covers and snoring softly in mere seconds. Phil smiles fondly, heading for his own and following Schlatt's lead.

* * *

Schlatt's voice comes tinny through the communicator, wedged between Phil's shoulder and his ear. "Philza, you are speaking to the luckiest man in the world," his friend greets as he picks up. He smiles warmly at the nickname.

"Luckier than Rich?" he retorts, snickering at the inside joke.

"Luckier about-to-be-rich," Schlatt states matter-of-factly, audibly grinning. "I found a really good paid internship that has a high hire rate, good enough to take care of the kid."

Phil doesn't comment on the way the man's tone warms, merely nodding and continuing his writing.

"That's awesome, mate," he muses. 

"They 'liked my dedication' and all that shit... I really don't thank you enough for that," Schlatt admits sheepishly. Pride swells from Phil's chest, plastering a large grin on his face.

"It's really no big deal, you don't have to."

"Good, because I think I've hit my nice limit for a while with just that one." Phil snorts at the joke, running careful eyes over the forms in front of him.

The two chat idly, as they do on most nights, while Phil continues about his business. Getting into the adoption and foster care system was a lot harder than he would have expected, but maybe it was just his general dislike for paperwork. A knock at his front door startles him, and he immediately sets about getting the bundles of parchment in order.

"Hey, they're here, I'll talk to you later, mate," he says to Schlatt, not waiting for a response as he turns off the comm.

An anxious-looking Blaze hybrid greets him as he opens the door, adjusting their attire and smiling politely. 

"Phil Watson?" they ask, and he responds with a curt nod, nervous energy building in his chest and moving out towards his wings, making them twitch slightly.

"My name is Chloris Reiter, I'm with the foster agency you applied for? I need to discuss some matters with you in private if you have the time," the small hybrid states. Despite the turmoil in his chest, Phil brightens significantly, stepping out of the way.

"Of course, come on in," he says with a smile. They're probably here to make sure his home is safe, considering in-person visits for other matters are rare. As expected, Chloris immediately begins scanning the home for hazards the second they step through the door frame. Once they seem satisfied with the entrance, Phil leads them to the living room to sit.

"As I assume you've figured out already, I do plan on doing a safety inspection of the house today, but there is something else I would like you to know," they say as they get comfortable. "They are quite impressed with your qualifications, and you interviewed exceptionally well. If this inspection goes well, you could have your first foster within the next few days."

Phil blinks, taken aback. "A few days?" It wasn't that he wasn't prepared, he just expected the process to take a significant amount of time longer. That's what he'd heard from literally everyone he'd talked to about the topic.

"There's a teenaged human who recently came into the system with some pretty intense behavioural issues, they pushed the inspection because you seemed best equipped to deal with them," Chloris nods as they explain. Phil 'ahh's as they go to stand. "If you'll allow me?"

Phil stands as well, gesturing vaguely with a "go ahead." He tails them for a while, trying to gauge their response. 

Once they scour the whole house, they begin to approach the front door, stopping just short of it.

"Everything looks fantastic. Someone will probably contact you one or two days before the kid actually arrives," they say, clapping their hands together before holding one out to shake. Phil takes it firmly with a nod, smiling brightly.

"Thank you so much. Have a wonderful day," Phil says as he opens the door for them. They smile in response, exiting and closing the door behind them. Phil exhales a shaky breath, swallowing the lump that's been sitting in his throat for the entirety of the interaction.

* * *

Phil looks up from his book at the sound of a knock at the door, checking the time. Almost 10 o'clock. A familiar pair of horns greets him, turned slightly away to protect from the bitter winter wind. Phil beckons Schlatt inside with a warm yet inquisitive smile, leading the dazed man into the living room. A white head of hair disappears back up the stairs at the sight.

"Hey, mate, what's up?" Phil asks gently, eyeing the bundle in Schlatt's arms.

"She, uh… she dropped off the kid and dipped. Haven't been able to contact her since," Schlatt explains numbly. Phil's gut twists with concern for his friend, and he figures out what the bundle Schlatt's been clinging onto was.

"Have you two ate today?" Schlatt looks at Phil oddly, but shakes his head. "I have some formula in the cabinets just in case, you want me to get it for you?"

Schlatt ponders for a moment, self-consciously rubbing at his puffy cheeks and eyes. "Would you mind…?" he trails off, weakly moving to offer the near-newborn to Phil.

Phil takes him in his arms gently, shaking his head reassuringly. "Not at all, mate." He moves to the kitchen, preparing the food for the both of them while the baby stares up at him with a surprising calm.

He comes back out with a plate of food and a bottle, pressing the former into Schlatt's hands gently. The ram hybrid simply gives him a grateful look while he coos quietly at the kid, double checking the temperature of the milk.

"I've taken to calling him Tubbo," Schlatt says with a lopsided grin, and Phil snorts.

"Tubbo?" he reiterates, and Schlatt nods.

"I don't know man, his name just… it didn't feel like it fit. Plus, he's kind of a big fuckin' baby," he shrugs, smiling innocently at the glare Phil shoots him for the curse word.

"You always were one for nicknames," Phil concedes with an exaggerated sigh. Schlatt grins back at him, before remembering his predicament.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do, man," he scratches idly at a crack on his horn, and Phil bats his hand away before softening. "Between him and my job…"

"I wouldn't mind watching him, you know this," Phil soothes.

"I wouldn't wanna– that shouldn't be on you all the time, though, man," Schlatt groans. "You got shit to do just like me." 

"I'm serious, mate," Phil levels him with a playful glare for cursing, but his tone is genuine. Despite himself, Schlatt exhales, grateful smile returning.

He finishes his meal, sheepishly asking for Tubbo once again. They sit and chat for a bit about things much less crushing than the impending weight of raising a kid solo. The sun begins to dip into the horizon gently as Schlatt takes his leave, Phil ensuring him that he's not being a burden as white hair once again peeks from the top of the stairs.

* * *

"Come here, come here, you can do it!"

Phil watches with a large smile as Tubbo stumbles from the worn coffee table in the center of the room to the white-haired human sat with their back pressed into the base of the green couch. 

"Come on Tubbo, come to Dove," they call, reaching their arms out encouragingly toward the young brunet. Dove catches Tubbo just before he hits the ground a foot away from them, scooping him into their lap and giggling along with him.

Phil barely hears the knock at the door over Tubbo's screeching laughter from merciless tickles, and Schlatt has an impossibly fond look on his face when he opens the door. Schlatt scoops Tubbo into his arms the second he comes toddling over with the help of the teenager, hugging him tightly and grinning at Phil over his head.

"He's been doing really good at walking on his own today," Phil states.

"I've been helping," Dove states proudly, slapping a hand on their chest.

"Good job, bud," Schlatt directs towards Tubbo, pinching his cheeks lightly. Tubbo scrunches up his face, turning from the hand and whining.

“No,” Tubbo shakes his head, and Schlatt looks shocked.

“Was your kid’s first word telling you ‘no’?” Phil asks, cracking up behind his hand, and only laughs harder when Schlatt nods.

The three of them sit in the living room, exchanging stories of Tubbo as the young hybrid bounces and babbles in between them.

As they eat the meal he’s prepared, Phil has a sudden coming to. His eyes well with pride and tears as he watches one of his good friends, his kid, and his own foster kid in one room; something about it just fits in his brain.

Phil wraps Schlatt and Tubbo in a large, winged hug as they go to leave that evening, vowing to cherish the moment for as long as he lives.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! it would mean a lot if you left a comment or even just kudos!  
> feel free to reach out to me on my socials!  
> discord - doubleDerivative#0163  
> tumblr - @pog-wizard  
> twitter - @greyscaleSleuth


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